It's a guerilla effort that energizes us a lot here.

We've all watched Matt grow up on camera, but I don't know how many of us have really stopped and taken a long look at the tremendously accomplished body of work that he continues to build.

Independent film is about diversity and independent voices. So it's not unusual that [the LMEC] would invite someone like me, who is running an organization dedicated to supporting independent films. We also have a number of diversity programs of our own,

The market participants will notice the added component in their materials. [But] the market will remain exactly what it is [and] the only people involved with it are professionals.

Independent film [as a whole] doesn't brand itself the way Broadway or other industries do. When marketing in tandem, one can get more official support than possible [individually].

It sounded like an afterthought, when in fact it's 40-plus panels and workshops over the course of a week. So (Independent Film Week was created) to begin giving it its own year-round opportunities for promotion and position it as more of a destination for filmmakers throughout the country.